Family
by Daydreamr4ever
Summary: Just a Melissa and Joey longfic taking place after the Season 3 finale. Mel and Joe discover what makes a family a family.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, since so many of you requested it, here's the first chapter of my Melissa and Joey longfic! I hope y'all will enjoy it :) This has no plot line, so... yeah. This takes place after the S3 finale, as they refer to it briefly in this chapter. I tried to get their banter as correct as possible, but I know it's not perfect. My eyes hurt from writing and watching the show for a longer time that I should have :P Anyway, please review and enjoy! Also, if you want to read about tidbits of my daily life, or see my beautiful face (jokes) follow me on Twitter! caity_kitkat  
So, yeah, please enjoy the first chapter, and send me requests for the next one!  
~Caitlyn**

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Finally

"I just had an AMAZING idea!" Mel announced, walking into the kitchen. Joe glanced at the clock on the stove.

"Mel, are you dying? Because I specifically remember you saying that 7:00 AM is "an unholy time of the day"." Joe quipped. Mel rolled her eyes.

"Shut up. Anyway, I was looking through the mail earlier-"

"Oh my god, you really are dying." Joe interrupted.

"Again, shut up. So, I was looking through out mail and I saw all of these," Mel picked up some cards and handed them to Joe, and watched impatiently as he sifted through them.

"Mel, these are all pictures of other families pretending to look happy about the holidays. Please don't tell me that you're thinking what I think you're thinking." Joe begged, though they both knew it was empty.

"We should take a family photo!" She cheered, just as Lennox and Ryder walked in.

"Uh... no." Ryder said, reaching across the counter for waffles.

"What? Why?" Mel whined, sounding more like a five-year-old girl, than a thirty five year old council woman.

"Because we're not a normal family. If we can find my dad and get everyone down to the jail to take the photo with my mom..." Lennox grumbled.

"Hey, even though your parents aren't... here," Mel started, trying to be delicate. "But _we're_" Mel gestured to the four of them. "A family too. Come on!" Mel skip-hopped over to her niece and nephew, pleading. "Pleaseeeee, it'll be fun!"

"Fun?" Everyone else asked in unison, and quite skeptically.

Mel groaned. "I'll give you two twenty bucks." She pointed at Lennox and Ryder. "And you a permanent raise."

"I'm in." Everyone said, yet again in unison.

Mel beamed victoriously.

"Eep! Here we are!" Mel squeaked excitedly.

"Is it too late to give back the twenty and run?" Ryder mumbled to his sister.

She shrugged.

Two minutes later they were all standing in front of a white backdrop while the photographer fussed over their pose.

"Alright, the children will stand between the parents here.

"Oh, no we're not their parents" Mel said.

"They aren't my kids" Joe protested at the same time.

"They aren't our parents." Lennox and Ryder said unanimously.

The photographer held up his hands. "Sorry, sorry. You had the order in for a family photo, so I simply assumed... Look, I'm sorry.

Mel sighed. "It's fine, it's fine. These are my niece and nephew."

"Okay. Now, will the husband and wife-"

"We're not married!" Mel and Joe cried at the same time.

"Why does everyone think that?" Joe asked, rubbing his forehead.

"I see a man and a woman walk in with two children next to them with an order for a family photo. Why would I assume that?" The photographer huffed. "OKAY. Man and woman, stand on either side of the children. Niece, please put your hand on your hip, and nephew, hand in your pocket. Now, put on those big smiles!"

The photographer snapped a few photos, had them change positions, snapped a few more, said thank you, handed them a receipt and they were on their way out.

"See it wasn't so bad, right?" Mel asked as they all piled into the car.

"He thought we were married!"

"They thought I was your DAUGHTER!"

"... I hate cameras."

Mel held up her had to stop the torrent of comments. "Yeah, yeah, but we got a great photo out of it." Everyone groaned in return.

Two Days Later

"Look! Our photos are here!" Mel called, running into the kitchen. "Joe! Joe! Where are the kids?"

"At school, where they should be in the middle of a weekday?" Joe guessed, taking a casserole out of the oven.

"Okay, well they can wait. Look at this photo!" She squealed, showing to him.

"Wow. We actually look... good." Joe said, surprise coloring his face and tone. Mel smiled.

"Well, I look good. You just look all smug-like." Mel said, snatching it back from him. "I was gonna show it to the kids and then get a big version of it and hang it in the dining room."

"You want our guests to have to stare at a giant picture of the four of us while they eat with us?" Joe asked skeptically. Mel scoffed.

"Yes! Plenty of families do that." She snatched the photo back.

"We're not one of those normal families, Mel." He protested, following her as she marched into the living room.

"I know that!" She shot back, opening a cabinet and sifting through piles of stuff for a frame.

"Remember what that photographer said? About us looking like a family?" Joe asked Mel, and she could tell in his voice that he wasn't just making light chat.

"Yeah?" She called, still rummaging through the cabinet. She really wanted to avoid wherever this talk was headed.

"We really do look like a family, right? I mean, we all live together, we eat together every night, you and I look after the kids, and they come to _us_ with their problems, their victories... even if we're not 'normal' I still think we all make a good family." Joe mused, sitting down on the couch.

Mel pulled out of the cabinet, empty frame in hand. "Yeah, we do. Wait, didn't we agree that deep talks require some sort of alcohol?" She questioned, sitting down next to him.

"Mel, we've been living together for three years." Joe started, handing her his bottle of beer. She eagerly took a swig. "Lennox is going off to college soon, and Ryder isn't far behind her. What... What are we going to be after that?" Joe asked hesitantly.

"How should I know? We talked about talking about this after Ryder goes to college... or wherever he ends up..." Mel shrugged.

Joe chuckled. "Thanks to my tutoring, he's gonna end up in an Ivy League school."

Mel gave him a skeptical look. "Right. But, back to us..." She turned to face him. "As much as I hate talking about it- and I mean _really_ hate it- but back in Jersey, when we... you know..." She made a vague hand gesture. "I've been thinking, you know..."

"That maybe we should...?" Joe's tone was hopeful.

"Yeah, I mean if you...?"

"Yeah, sounds good."

"Okay, well I have to go back to work."

"Yup... Good talk."

"Mhm."

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**That's it for the first chapter! Please review, follow, favorite, etc if you liked it! (Even if you didn't, it would be much appreciated!)**

**Today's question is: What should my next few questions be? (Because I'm totally out of ideas) SO TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS! **


	2. Chapter 2: Finally

**A/N: I'm SO sorry this chapter took so long to upload, I've been busy with school, catching up on How I Met Your Mother, and also, I wrote this chapter earlier, went back over it, hated it, and then re-wrote it as this, and still hate it, but I was dry out of ideas already. However, since I promised you guys a longfic, I'll try to keep them coming. I'm sorry if I didn't capture their personalities quite right, I find it kinda difficult, haha. However, next chapter should be... interesting :)  
The response I've already gotten had been amazing, thank you all so much! I hope I can keep this story up to everyone's expectations! If you have any chapter requests, they are always welcome! (As are reviews ;))**

**~Caitlyn**

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"JOEJOEJOEJOE! Look! Our photos are here!" Mel cried, running into the kitchen. "Joe! Joe! Where are the kids?"

"At school, where they should be in the middle of a weekday?" Joe guessed, taking a piping hot casserole out of the oven.

"Okay, well they can wait. Look at this photo!" She squealed, shoving it in his face.

"Wow. We actually look... good." Joe said, pleasant surprise coloring his face and tone. Mel beamed triumphantly.

"Well, I look good. You just look all smug-like." Mel quipped, snatching it back from him. "I was gonna show it to the kids and then get a big version of it and hang it in the dining room."

"You want our guests to have to stare at a giant picture of the four of us while they eat with us?" Joe asked skeptically. Mel scoffed.

"Yes! Plenty of families do that." She snatched the photo back. "Now excuse me, I need a frame for this." She whipped around and trotted into the living room, clearly pleased that her family photo thing turned out as well as it did.

As she expected, she heard Joe follow her. "Yeah, but don't you still think it would be weird? Besides, I'm not gonna be working here forever, Mel" He added the last part softly, as if to spare her feelings. Mel, who was currently digging around in a cabinet for a a frame the right size, paused.

"I... I know, but... Can't I just do something fun for once?" She ended in a girlish whine, not wanting to talk about Joe's future in her life yet. She figured it was easier to play the complaining card than the serious talk card.

Joe chuckled at her complaint like she expected him to. "I don't see how hanging a giant portrait of the four of us is fun." She sat back on her heels, having found the right frame.

"It could be. It's a family thing. Jeez, we don't have to over think everything." She scoffed, sliding the photo into the golden-rimmed frame, and began scouting out a place for the small picture in the living room.

"Mel..." Joe began, and her heart dropped, and her mind raced at a thousand miles an hour, wondering what he was going to say next. It was definietely going to be serious, judging by his tone, maybe he was going to resign, or tell her what he really felt about her? All of these thoughts were falling on top of one another, clouding her vision for a moment, and she hardly noticed Joe get up and walk over to her. She blinked, trying to clear her mind and focus on what he was going to say. Would he tell her-

"This would look best on the desk, you know." He suggested, gently prying it from her hands, and placed it on the corner of the living room desk. "There. Perfect. But really, Mel. About what I said earlier. I'm not going to be working here forever. Lennox is going off to college in a few months, and Ryder will be right after her in a year or 2. You don't need me as a nanny anymore." He said softly, stepping closer.

Mel's breathing became choppy as she said "No. I- I know. I just... Need you, Joe."

"I'm here for you Mel."

"For, you know, food and stuff."

Joe didn't let her half-joking tome deter him from his point. "That and stuff being you and me? Mel." He placed his hand firmly on her arm. Mel's breath caught in her throat. Her pulse was racing. "Let's be honest. We have something together. We owe it to ourselves to give it a shot, you know?"

Mel nodded. "Yeah, I know, Joe. But what if it doesn't work out? Joe I don't want to ruin what we have right now-"

"What we have right now is a house clouded with, as Lennox put it, "Sexual tension". We're ignoring how we really feel about each other, Mel. Just admit it!" He ended more forcefully than he meant to, but it worked.

"Okay, fine!" Mel exploded. "I'll go on a date with you. Yes!" She looked furious, and Joe broke into a grin. "God, you piss me off even when you're asking me on a frigging date!" She growled at him, turning to get, presumably, more wine.

"Mel, one more thing." Joe's grip tightened on her arm.

"Joe what-?" But she never got to ask her question, because as she whipped around, somehow, Joe's lips found hers, and suddenly, they were kissing like they'd never kissed before. This went on for quite a while, as if they were making up for all of the times they had ignored each other and their feelings for one another.

"Oh. My. GOD!" Came a girlish squeak from the kitchen doorway, and Mel and Joe whirled around to see Lennox standing in the doorway with Zander.

"Oh, Uh, Lennox we, ah..." Joe stammered.

At the same time, Mel was trying to stutter out a single comprehensible excuse, self-consciously wiping her face.

"FINALLY!" She cried in euphoria, making Zander jump a little. As if on cue, Ryder came running down the stairs.

"Did they?" Ryder turned to his aunt and nanny, who realized they were still holding each other. "Oh... I don't know whether to be grossed out or excited... I'll just go with both..." Ryder slipped back up the stairs backwards.

"Ohmygod! You guys are finally together! It's like a fairy tale!" Lennox squeaked, running up to them and hugging them, jumping up and down once she let go. "Ah! I'm so excited!" She abruptly turned and ran out, bringing Zander with her.

"Well... That went well." Mel commented, brushing imaginary dust off of Joe's shoulder.

"Yeah that was... wanna go back to kissing?" He suggested. Mel happily consented, and the happy couple proceeded to make out for a very long time.

"Wow." Mel broke off to comment. "I never thought we would actually do this."

"I know right? It's just so... perfect? I dunno, I just..."

"I think I'm in love with you." They both blurted at the same time, and then jumped back from each other, shock plastered on both of their faces. "You _what?!_" They both cried.

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**I hope you liked it! That's what I WISH would happen, at lease.**

**Question: If you could be any Disney character, what would you be?**

**Please review, follow, favorite, etc! Chapt. 3 is coming soon!**


	3. Chapter 3: Love & Loss

**A/N: Hello, my lovely minons- I mean, readers, of course! "Hey, hey, hey, guess what day it is? C'mon, you know what day it is... HUMP DAY! (Those of you who haven't seen that Geico commercial HAVE TO see it. So funny.) Actually, most of you aren't even reading this on Wednesday, but whatever. So, I worked pretty hard on this chapter, but got carried away, so it's super long, and as usual, I'm far, far too lazy to cut it down or use less verbs and more imagery (English class gets in my head) and whatever. It starts out weird, and ends in a dark way... mwahahahaha. Not a lot of Mel and Joe lovin' in here, in case your were curious. Also, I think someone requested a Christmas episode which I'll do around, you know, Christmas. Great idea, though! :) Next chapter might be a little dark, but the rest should be more fluff-ish, like Bye, Baby.  
Thanks for all of your reviews and favoriting and following! I just get a warm fuzzy feeling every time a new notification pops up in my inbox! Also, I finally figured out how to respond to reviews (I'm slow like that), so from now on, I'll do my best to respond to everyone! For now, enjoy my way-too-long chapter, now that you've finished my way-too-long-author's-note.**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

"You love me?" They screamed simultaneously at the other.

"Mel, just breathe for a second. You've turned to emergency shade of red." Joe warned, stepping back as if she might explode.

"You're so-" But Joe never learned what he was, because at that moment, an excited shriek sounded through the house and Lennox burst into the room for the second time, jumping up and down and saying "Yesyesyesyesyes!" Over and over again.

Joe pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "Lennox, not now, please."

"But, Joeeee." She whined.

"Buh-byeee." He mimicked, waving her away.

"What's this about you two in love?" Ryder asked at the moment, running down the stairs at light speed. He stood next to his sister as she pulled the puppy dog eyes on Joe.

"Ryder, it's none of your business right now. Don't you kids have friends or homework or something?" Mel asked, crossing her arms and glaring at the respective children-slash-teenagers-slash-young-adults.

"Not better than this." Ryder's laugh at his own joke was cut short by one look at Mel's eyes, which seemed ready to shoot fire at whoever pissed her off next.

"What do you guys want?" Joe eventually challenged, putting on his _I-dare-you-to-ask-me_ face; which, Mel had to admit, he wore pretty darn well.

"Just the confirmation that you two looooove each other!" Lennox drew out the word love long enough to bat her baby blue eyes a few times and clasp her hands together.

"Fine, yeah we're in love! Now shoo." Mel pushed her nice and nephew out of the room before they could ask anything else.

"What the hell was that, Burke?" Joe demanded, storming over to her.

"I know, right? Those kids... oh... We're not talking about the kids, are we?" She trailed off.

"No, Burke. We're not. We didn't talk about the whole... love... thing!" He told her, frustration written all over his face.

"Well you said 'I love you" and I said 'I love you'. Nothing beyond that, unless I love you in JoeLanguage means 'I want to murder you'." She hissed, looking around for the wine.

"It doesn't mean that, but- What do you want, Ryder?" Joe's voice turned flat as Ryder peeked out from the kitchen.

"Look, I'm glad you two are happily together and discussing your feelings and stuff, but people gotta eat." He informed them, holding open the door to the kitchen for Joe.

"Does anyone say please anymore?" Joe griped, but trudged into the kitchen and began cooking one of his amazing lasagnas anyway.

Later that night, Mel was heading back from yet another pointless city council meeting when she got a phone call from Joe.

"Yeah, Joe." She said in way of greeting, placing her phone between her shoulder and ear.

"Well, hello to you too." Joe replied sassily.

"Joe, I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Do you need more ingredients for your cannoli?" She asked mockingly, turning on the headlights as she noticed the light dying.

"My cannoli is the best damn thing in the world." Joe calmly defended his cooking, but then his voice turned... desprate? "Mel, Lennox just came home crying, and every time I asked her why, all I got was "ubbhuh-huh-huh asdfghjkl aaahhh!" and then more tears." His voice sounded terrified of the eighteen-year-old girl.

"Uh-oh. I'll be there as fast as I can. Did you initiate emergency protocol three?"

"I turned on Gossip Girl in the living room, and brought her hot cocoa, the Ben & Jerry's phish food, and an entire box of Kleenex." Joe reported, sounding like he was reading from a list.

"Oh- and if it gets really bad, like hiccups-between-really-loud-sobs bad, give her a blanket and her stuffed elephant." She instructed, increasing her speed a little.

She heard a door open, and Lennox's distinctive sobs got even louder. And then she heard the hiccups. "This bad?" He clarified, once he pulled the phone back to his ear.

"Yes, that bad. I'l be there in five. I'm an important person- well semi-important- it doens't matter. I'll be back soon!" She ended the call and zoomed home.

"Hey, kiddo. Can you tell me what's wrong now?" Joe asked gently, tucking a blanket around Lennox, and handing her a stuffed elephant. Her ear-splitting sobs had (ever so) slowly had quieted to normal crying, though the hiccups were still there.

_Mel, where are you?_ Joe thought desperately, staring at the little blonde girl with mascara trailing down her cheeks, hugging her little elephant tightly in one arm, while eating ice cream with the other. She shook her head at him.

"C'mon, Lennox. You know I won't _really_ beat the stuffing out of anyone who did you wrong." He told her encouragingly, earning a skeptical look from the girl. "Okay, so I would try, but your aunt would stop me before I could do anything. I've never actually beaten up any of the boys who broke up with you, have I?" Despite the weird subject, he kept his tone light and calm, welcoming Lennox to join in at any time.

"You've tried." She whispered, smiling weakly at him. Joe patted her leg.

"Well, duh." She smiled a bit, and he handed her another tissue. She blew her nose- or, more precisely, trumpets sounded, as she put the tissue to her face. "Here." He took another tissue, and wiped the mascara marks from her face in a few seconds.

"Joe?" She asked, looking at him once he sat back down on the couch.

"Yea, Len?" He replied, pleasantly surprised that she was: A) Speaking, B) Speaking coherently, and C) Speaking coherently to him.

"All of the guys you threaten to beat up, and the way you're always there for me... Are you trying to make up for my dad not being here?" She looking him in the eyes, as if challenging him to lie to her.

He opened his mouth to deny it, but then he paused. And realized that it was true. "I guess I am, Len."

She didn't look happy, disappointed or angry. She just looked thoughtful. "If I'm being honest, you're a better dad than he was." She ended in a whisper, drawing the covers up to her chin.

Joe was blown away. Honored. Confused. And unsure how to reply. "I'm not trying to _replace_ your dad, Len, I'm just-"

"Just the nanny?"

"Freelance." He corrected her gently, with a wink. She giggled.

"You should know by now that you're more than freelance to us, Joe. And I hope you do replace my dad, because it's not like he's ever coming back. He left us, Joe. He left me and Ryder, twice." Tears started welling in her eyes again, and that was the moment Mel chose to burst though the door, a plastic bag in hand. "But I was asking about the guys because-"

"Len, I'm here! One sec." She kissed Lennox's head, mouthed a quick _Thank-You_ to Joe, and ran into the kitchen, appearing about five seconds with a Pillsbury cookie dough tube cut into two pieces. "Hey sweetie." Mel gingerly said, handing Lennox one of the cookie dough halves. Joe took that as his cue to leave, patting Lennox's leg again as he got up.

"What happened, Len?" Mel asked her niece, taking a bite out of her own cookie dough tube.

"Zander's moving..." The girl began, taking a tiny bite of her cookie dough. Tears once again spilled over, but these were leftovers. The worst of the sobbing and hiccups had passed.

"Oh no." Mel stopped chewing, squeezing Lennox's hand. "Honey, I'm so sorry."

"But that's not the worst part." Apparently, she still had some sobs left in her, and the tears came back in abundance, and she started shaking again. "He was bringing something out to the curb, and a car swerved off the road and h-hit him." She cried, dropping the cookie dough to fold into herself, turning into a red, teary mess. Mel gasped, and wordlessly wrapped her arms around her niece. "They k-kicked me out of the hospital an hour ago, w-wh-when visiting hours were d-d-d-done" She wailed into Mel's shoulder. "They don't know i-if he'll live." She ended in a sob.

Just then, her phone rang. Mel picked if up, once she realized Lennox couldn't hear it over her own sobs, so Mel answered.

"Hello? Yes, I'm her aunt. Oh no..." Mel trailed off, staring at her niece. "Okay. Wait- what does that mean. Oh. Yes, I'll tell here." She hung up. Dreading what she was about to tell her niece.

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**So that's the end of this chapter! Hope you like my bad attempt at cliffhangers! Also, for those of you who don't know, Phish Food ice cream and cookie dough make bad things go away... mostly.**

**Question: What is your biggest pet peeve at the moment? (I ask this because I live in a house where we have seven clocks that all make ticking noises... ON THE FIRST FLOOR. It's never quiet here. and five of them make dinging noises every quarter hour... -_-**

**Pleas review and such! Tell your friends about this story! Tell your enemies! Teach your pets to read to they can enjoy, too! Now I'm gonna go before you start throwing tomatoes at me. BYE NOW!**


	4. Chapter 4: I Love You

**A/N: Hey y'all! So, so, SO sorry I haven't updated in a week! I've been super busy with schoolwork, and have a bunch of essays, quizzes, and catching up with HIMYM to do :P BUT, I spent my most recent study hall, and most of play practice, putting together this. You're welcome, my lovelies! So... Yeah, sorry to keep you waiting... Also, I took the liberty of creating Zander's last name because I don't think that it's actually mentioned on the show, and also the liberty of what the doctors say, because I'm not a doctor, and I don't claim to be one, so I have no idea how to talk about someone who has been hit by a car and survive and such. So I probably got all of the doctor-y stuff wrong FYI. Don't hate on me for it, please!  
Thank you all for reviewing, whether it be right when this comes out, or in like a year, it doesn't matter, just thank you :) Don't forget to read the chapterly question at the end of each chapter!**

**~Caitlyn**

"Len. Honey, the hospital just called. Zander's out of surgery."

Lennox looked up with so much hope in her eyes, Mel's heart twisted with the next words, "They've done all they can, but his fate is still up in the air. All we can do now is hope." She echoed the words she had heard on the phone just moments ago. Her niece's face crumbled, and Lennox cried her way to sleep in Mel's arms.

"She's so upset, Joe, and I have no idea what to do!" Mel groaned, stumbling into the kitchen. But Joe wasn't there. She glanced at the clock and realized it was two in the morning. But she needed to vent. And she needed to laugh. The living room was clouded with unhappiness and thoughts of death, so there was no going back there to rescue her wine and cookie dough. Then, she got an idea.

Mel crept up the stairs to Joe's room and eased open the door, squeezing her eyes tight in case he'd made a booty call. She cautiously opened one eyes to gaze into the room. It was dark, but, as far as Mel could tell, it was just Joe's over-muscular body on the bed. She couldn't help smirking at what her plan involved next. She closed the door, and waited for her eyes to adjust to the pitch blackness, before climbing onto the bed and settling down right next to Joe, and then hollered in his ear "JOEIWANTWAFFLES!" She leapt back just in time for Joe to jump up out of bed and assume a karate position to fight off any offender, before realizing that said offender was his boss-slash-girlfriend.

"Jesus, Mel! You're gonna give me heart palpitations if you keep doing this." He crossed his arms at her. She rolled her eyes, still lying on her side.

"Yeah, but I need to vent. And I'm hungry. And we have no food." She whined to him. He scoffed and sat back down.

"Mel, the refrigerator is always stocked with fruits and vegetables. The little drawers on the bottom of the fridge?"

"Ooh, you mean the extra cookie dough storage." Mel nodded. "But I don't want fruit. I. Want. Waffles."

"Mel, I'm not going to make you waffles at two a.m. Now get out of my bed." Joe gestured with his thumb towards the closed door.

Mel raised her eyebrows suggestively. "Does my being in your bed make you uncomfortable, Longo?"

"Well... Not until you mentioned it." He replied nonchalantly, so Mel got up and wound her arms around his neck slowly, and Joe realized his hands had instinctively gone to her waist, which was currently covered by a pink satin robe.

"And now?" She teased.

Joe said nothing, so she sighed, and leaned up to kiss him. He met her halfway, with a passionate, fiery kiss that filled her whole being with a glow that she felt would never go away. It started out hurried, as though they would be interrupted again, but soon melted into a deep, fiery-filled, long awaited kiss that lasted... well, a long time.

The next morning, Mel awoke to find herself next to Joe. In his bed. With her clothes... on?

"Uh... Joe? What happened?" She grumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes, suddenly realizing the fact that she probably looked like a raccoon in a pink robe. Joe rolled over and blinked sleepily at her, his eyes cloudy in that blissful, sleepy haze.

"Mornin', Mel. Looks like we had a sleepover." He quipped, before yawning very loudly, causing Mel to make a face at him.

"Wake up the whole neighborhood, why don't you." She snarked, before gasping and covering her mouth with her hands.

"What? What is it?" Joe snapped awake at the noise.

"Lennox, Joe! I came here last night to tell you about how worried I was and I forgot, and Zander might be dead! I have to go!" She turned to flee out of the room, but Joe caught her by the arm and reeled her back in. "Joe, I really don't have time for-"

"Two things Mel, real quick. One: Breath. In..." He demonstrated, inhaling deeply through his nose. "...And out." He exhaled heavily through his mouth. "Now you try," He waited until Mel had stopped making faces at him, and started breathing, to say. "And two:" He bent over and gave her a light kiss. "That's just one for the road. Now go take care of your niece. I've got Ryder." Mel smiled gratefully at him before turning and going off to be Super Aunt Mel, savior of teenagers whose boyfriends may be dying at any second.

As it was a Sunday, Mel had an excuse to skip work that day- well, two really, if you count the "religious reasons" thing she pulled most Sundays. But she called in with a family emergency as well, so she simply hoped that Toledo wouldn't burn to the ground without her doing... council-woman-y things.

"He's in room 207, Aunt Mel," Lennox announced once they had arrived, practically Olympic-sprinting into the building. Mel followed more slowly, greeting the lady at the front desk, and finding room 207.

She poked her head through the door to find Zander's parents sitting there next to a badly bruised and heavily damaged, yet somehow breathing, Zander. Lennox was crying- but out of happiness of him being alive or sadness that he had had a dance with Death, Mel could not be sure. She greeted his parents, but she wasn't very familiar with them, so she just let Lennox do the talking.

"So, he's gonna live, right?" She finally asked, wiping away the tears.

Mr. Knight nodded, offering a tiny smile. "Yes. They said it was a true miracle. He's not paralyzed, thank God. He'll probably be in a wheelchair for a quite while, but he's expected to make a full physical recovery eventually- so they told us, at least. I hope to God himself that he does." Mrs. Knight nodded, and rested her head on her husband's shoulder, gazing at her son. Mel noticed that the woman had heavy bags under her eyes, like she hadn't slept for two days, before realizing, genius that she was, that the woman obviously hadn't.

Mel tried to imagine what it would be like to have Lennox or Ryder hit by a car, and couldn't without physically wincing. It was too painful and horrible to even imagine, and she suddenly felt her heart go out to Mrs. Knight, and Mr, Knight too.

She piped up with the generic comforting words, "It'll all be okay." The group continued to talk in a slightly somber way, until they were interrupted by a hoarse "Does someone have any water?"

They all looked in the direction the voice came from. To everyone's shock, it was _Zander_speaking! They all blinked confusedly, until Mr. Knight said "Sure, son." He got up to fetch a cup of water, and a nurse. Lennox and Mrs. Knight were both beaming ear to ear at the boy. Zander blinked at Lennox for a few moments before croaking out, "Hey, Lennox?"

"Yes, Zander?" She moved toward him, as if his next words would be the most important thing he would ever say.

He managed a tiny smile. "I love you."

Lennox was definietely happy-(snot)crying when she replied "I love you too, Zander. So much."

Mel turned away from the happy scene and pulled out her phone to make a call.

"Hello, this is Joe."

"Hey Joe, I just wanted to let you know that Zander woke up." Mel smiled for what felt like the first time that day.

"Oh, that's fantastic news, Mel!" She heard him relay the message to Ryder, and waited before adding:

"Oh, and one other thing."

"Yeah?"

"I love you, Joe. I really, really, love you like crazy. It feels stupid for me to say this over the phone, but it's true. I love you." She felt nervous, putting her heart out there, even though they'd already established their love.

"Mel... I love you a lot. You know that. So come home soon, so I can tell you again and again, until you're so sick of me that we'll love each other even more."

She began to formulate a snarky comment about being sick of him, before realizing that this probably wasn't the right time. "Alright Joe. See you soon. Love you, and bye." She hung up, her pulse racing, and she was smiling so much it hurt. She was coming home, alright. But somehow, it would be new this time. She could just tell.

* * *

**How was that? I didn't think it was that bad, maybe a little cheesy, with the whole miracle-and-happy-ending, but that's just the kind of hopeless romantic I am!**

**Question: Is there a certain place that just makes your heart fill with joy? You don't have to be specific, just yes or no. For me, it's the camp I used to go to. I have so many great memories, and I always smile when I think of it.**

**I promise, next time, the update should be sooner! Saturday, at the latest!**


	5. Chapter 5: Graduation (Kinda)

**A/N: So, here is the promised chapter that I would have posted yesterday, but instead published a different Mel and Joe story, Becoming Who We Are. Check it out!  
I realize I haven't given Ryder much attention here... I kinda keep forgetting about him... Oops. Anyway, I know that "School newspaper editors" don't get to speak at graduation ceremonies, but, I mean, come on. It's Lennox. You and I both know she would probably do this. Anyway, this isn't really the graduation, just a paragraph at graduation. The story isn't over yet, though! I'm gonna keep you hooked for a little longer ;)**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed this, favorited, etc, it really means a lot to me! I tried extra hard on this chapter. (Translation: I did not write it at midnight, like I do with most of my chapters... surprise!)**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

_A few months later..._

"And now we would like to invite Lennox Scanlin, editor of the school newspaper, on stage to say a few words." Mel squeezed Joe's hand as her niece walked up onto the stage, looking thrilled to finally be in her cap and gown on actual graduation day.. Ryder even stopped playing Temple Run to watch... for about five seconds.

Mel saw Lennox's smiling face, and thought back to a few days ago, after one of the practice runs.

_Two days ago..._

Lennox had come home looking rather disgruntled, but Mel assumed it was just another "injustice" to her done by the school.

"Hey honey. Look, I got these new earrings!" Mel ran up to her to show her. "See, they _look_ super heavy, but they're not! So when I got to meetings I can look like I care by putting on fancy jewelry!"

Lennox dropped her bag on the ground. "Great..." She mumbled, pushing past her aunt and into the kitchen. Mel followed her, kicking off her high heels to prevent even more blisters from appearing on her sore feet.

"What's wrong, Len? Did Zander not show up for lunch?" Mel guessed. LEnnox always got hung up over little things like that.

"No. He showed up. It's graduation rehearsal. Or, more like the actual graduation itself." Lennox plopped herself into a kitchen chair, and Mel followed suit (surprisedly noting the absence of Joe).

"Uh-oh. What happened?" Mel prepared for a tirade of "I tripped and everyone laughed", or "My hair looks horrible in the lighting".

"It's what's _not_ going to happen, Aunt Mel. You wanna know what's not happening of graduation day?" Lennox demanded forcefully.

Taken by surprise, Mel suddenly realized she really wished that Joe was there, for once. "Uhm... you're not going to to a belly dance on stage?" She guessed. "Because if you did, you'd need- actually never mind." Mel cut herself off, remembering that Lennox wasn't like her. And a good thing, too.

"No- well, yes- I mean, I'm not doing a belly dance either. But what isn't happening is my _parents_. They won't be at my graduation ceremony."

Mel suddenly felt her heart go out to the girl as silent tears rolled down her face. Lennox wiped them away quickly, not wanting to have another meltdown, but Mel got out the cookie dough anyway.

"It's okay sweetie. You never know, maybe your dad will show up, and we could get your mom out for like, an hour or two, and-"

"Yeah, because I want everyone to know that my mom is the one in the back in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs." Lennox shook her head, and took a bite of cookie dough, now angry again.

"Well... orange is actually in right now." Mel stated helpfully, and earned a quiet chuckle from her niece.

"It's not that I don't want you and Joe there- because I really do- it's just weird to think that my parents won't be there to see me graduate. They probably won't even come to my own wedding." Depressed by her own thoughts, Lennox put her head down on the table, as though it had simply become to heavy to hold up anymore.

Mel hugged the slumped her niece as best as she could. "There, there, kiddo." She didn't know what else to say. She couldn't go "Sorry, it sucks that your parents are deatbeats and con-ers, but at least me and your male nanny will be there." Nope.

Joe chose that moment of emotion to enter with his arms full of groceries, noticing Mel and announcing "I got your favorite cookies!" He cheered, before he saw Lennox. "What's the matter?" He asked Mel, going over to the seat next to her. "What happened? Do I need to go and nanny the crap outta someone?" He hopefully cracked his knuckles.

"No." Lennox moaned, peering at him through a screen of her hair. "Why do you always resort to violence?"

"Well if some punk messes with my little girl, they're going down." Joe stated simply, looking slightly disappointed that there was no one to beat the crap out of... yet.

"I'm... your little girl?" Lennox asked curiously, sitting up and pushing the hair out of her face.

"Well, yeah. Even if you were six-foot-five, you'd still be little to me. I mean, you're not _mine_-mine, but I... well, I take care of you and Ryder... I kinda consider you my kids I guess." He stammered out.

Mel squeezed her eyes shut halfway through his messed up monologue, sure that it would set Lennox off. Though, two long seconds after he ended, she popped open one eye to see Lennox hugging him tightly, and Joe slowly patting her back.

After a short minute, Lennox pulled away from Joe, wiping her eyes. "You know what? Forget my parents- You guys are my real family. You're better." She declared, sitting back in her chair.

"Now, Lennox, I don't know if we're _better_- actually, okay, maybe we are." Mel quipped, earning a smile from both Lennox and Joe.

"You are." The three of them turned around to see Ryder sitting on the stairs, and Mel suddenly felt guilty for not inviting him down to the feelings-party.

"Hey Ryder. Come on down." Mel gestured for him to come into the kitchen. And that was the day they became a complete family.

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**Yeah, yeah, I get it, cheesy, blah, blah, blah. I love cheesy, and I love this bit, because it's cute.**

**Question: Do you like fuzzy slippers? Also, is it freaking freezing wherever the heck you are, or is it just me? I'm afraid it's gonna snow on Halloween... again :P At least I'm not trick-or-treating anymore, hahaha. I'll just buy candy on the best day of the year- November 1st, when stores are selling their masses of Halloween-themed candy super-cheap!**

**Hope you like it, and please review! Have your dog review! Or your cat! Or fish! OR... just tell your friends ;)**


	6. Chapter 6: Graduation Pt 2 (Kinda)

**A/N: So, I know I've been MIA all week, but I'm running out of steam in this story. I think I can crank out one more chapter after this one, though. Tomorrow, the next BWWA chapter comes out, too!**

**Hope y'all have enjoyed reading Family- I know I sure liked writing it! **

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

_Back to graduation_

"I would like to thank my aunt and her... boyfriend... Joe, for being the best stand-in-parents to a girl whose dad is on the run, and whose mom was tossed in jail. And my brother Ryder, who helped me through basically everything from these past four years. And finally, thank you to everyone at this school, everyone who survived these past four years alongside me. Congratulations, Class of 2014. We did it!" Lennox successfully channelled her inner Elle Woods towards the end of her speech, and everyone cheered as she went back to her seat. Mel remembered how hard Len had fought to get a speech during the graduation ceremony, and was so proud of how well it went. Mel had a feeling hardly any of the parents were actually listening, but she was still proud to see the not-as-crazy-mini-Mel talk about equality, their futures, and other things Mel hadn't totally caught or understood, during the speech. She probably clapped the hardest at the end of the speech, and rubbed her now-stinging hands against her legs.

Then the diplomas were handed out, and she waited anxiously for the S's, singing the Alphabet in her head to keep track of where they were, and feeling bad for the parents from the A's and the Z's. Mel squeezed Joe's hand harder as they got towards the S's. So hard, in fact, he asked to switch hands at one point. Once they principal reached "Reed Salmon" Mel poked Ryder in the ribs, signaling for him to start recording. His Temple Run character fell of the cliff, so he sighed and began a recording.

"Lennox Scanlin." The principal's bored voice rang out. Mel squeeze Joe's hand one last time before clapping very loudly and obnoxiously "Whoo-hoo!" ing. She couldn't help it. Her slightly-crazy, liberal, vocal, and temperamental niece had gotten through high school. She did it.

Joe poked Mel in the side. "Mel. You're doing that weird thing, the... uh... happy crying!" He snapped his fingers once he got it. "It's weird." Surprised, she touched her face to find tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I knew I wore waterproof mascara for a reason today!" She cheered. "But, I'm just so proud of her, you know? She's all grown up now. She doesn't need me, a-and soon she'll be gone. I don't know if I'm happy crying or sad crying now!" She blurted, wiping her eyes.

"This is gonna make me famous on YouTube!" Ryder crowed, and Mel turned to see Ryder had his phone camera turned to Mel. "Say "I'm a green pepper!"" He suggested.

"Turn that off." Joe demanded, pushing his almost-nephew's phone away. He proceeded to put his arms around Mel. "Don't cry, Mel. You have to look pretty in front of Len and her friends for pictures and stuff. And by 'and stuff', I mean I have no idea what the rest of today looks like."

Mel laughed weakly at Joe's desperate joke, and worked on calming down through the next 50 students, which was surprisingly easy.

"How do I look?" She asked Joe as they got up to leave, blinking her eyes at him.

He positively beamed at her. "Perfect. And me?" He flexed his muscles- well, tried to through his suit.

"Just don't flex and you'll do fine."

"Got it."

_Later that summer.._

"MOVIE NIGHT!" Mel hollered up to the kids.

"Jeezums, Mel, they're upstairs, not in Siberia." Joe quipped, handing her a bowl of popcorn.

"They're teenagers, and they're deaf half of the time." She fired back, tossing a piece at his head. He caught it in his mouth and even managed to _chew_ smugly.

"It's called selective hearing." Ryder corrected, clomping down the stairs.

"Yeah, yeah, either way, you never hear the words coming out of my mouth when I ask you to do stuff for me." Mel said, popping a piece of popcorn in her mouth. "LENNOX!" She hollered again. "So, Joe, it's your pick. What're we watching?" She asked, wheeling on her boyfriend. "It'd better not be Marley and Me again because I am sick of it! I don't even cry at it anymore!" She complained. Joe smirked and shook his head.

"National Treasure."

"What now? Isn't that a Nicholas Cage movie? For kids?" She questioned, giving him a look.

"Yup." He grinned, turning around to get the disk and pop it in the player.

"Aaand I'm gonna go out with Kiera tonight." Ryder said desicively, turning to walk out.

"Oh no you don't." Mel caught him by the collar and dragged him over to the couch. "If I'm stuck here, so are you." She dictated.

"Gee, thanks for your trust in my movie choices." Joe quipped sarcastically. Mel rolled her eyes and shoved more popcorn in her mouth.

"I actually can't do movie night tonight. I need to see Zander-"

Joe cut Lennox off. "No, you don't. You need to sit down and watch a movie with us, because it's movie night." He told her sternly. Lennox made her frustrated scream, but complied anyway. Joe started the movie, and squeezed onto the couch too. Fifteen minutes into the movie, Mel glanced to her right, expecting the kids to be texting or staring off into space, however found them both completely enamored by the movie. She gently rested her head on Joe's shoulder, and he put his arm around her, and it looked like such a casual move, that someone who didn't know better would suspect they'd been dating for years, not months. When she looked back up to the movie, Joe stole some popcorn from the bowl that Mel had been hogging. She nudged him playfully, and he in turn kissed the top of her head.

She felt a pang of something as she took in the scene around her. Lennox would be gone in a week, and her room would be almost completely empty. Ryder would be off to school, and she and Joe would be off to their various jobs (he got a new one once they started dating, but still lived there.) during the day. Things would be too different around there.

Mel pushed the thoughts out of her head and focused on what Nicolas Cage was doing on screen, which involved a brick and some weird spectacles. She decided to enjoy the movie, and enjoy the small, stolen hours of family time with these people. Lennox was right. She and Ryder were Mel's kids. She had them in her heart- which, once she thought of it, sounded really weird.

So she enjoyed the small hours they gave her.

* * *

**So? Whaddayathink?**

**Question Time! What is your favorite movie? If you couldn't tell, mine is National Treasure! I love history :3**

**Don't forget to review! :)**


	7. Chapter 7: Took Ya Longo Enough

**A/N: I realize I kinda abandoned this story, but I couldn't decide on how cheesy I wanted to go on this- my normal cheesy, or cheesy overload. I think I kept the cheesiness at a reasonable level, but you guys can be the judge of that. Sorry I left y'all hanging. BWWA actually had one more chapter that I HAVE written, and will publish later today (I have five minutes before I have to leave and cranked this out really fast). There's one more chapter to this story before it wraps up. I have the basic outline for it, but suggestions are welcome! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this story, or is gonna read it in the future. Thanks for putting up with my laziness, procrastination, and cheesy writing!**

**Please enjoy and review! Question at the bottom like usual, and I don't own anything here, though I wish that I did!**

**~Caitlyn**

* * *

"Good God, Longo, you don't ALWAYS have to be right, you know!" Mel complained to her boyfriend, storming into the house in her blue blouse and faded jeans, looking more frustrated than usual.

Joe followed her inside closely, a more-smug-than-usual look on his face. "I know that! I can't help the fact that I just happen to be right all of the time!"

"Ugh! You are just so _unbearable_! Why do I even put up with you?" She asked half playfully, half seriously. Mel whirled around to face him, annoyance written all over her face. They were talking about, or course, a new restaurant that Mel had wanted them to go to that morning. Apparently all of her co-workers, even Stephanie, had all been there and would not shut up about it, so, naturally, Mel demanded that they _had_ to go there before they fell "too behind on the times". Whatever that meant.

Joe insisted that it was closed on Sundays, but Mel didn't listen- per usual. He was the one who suggested going out that morning in the first place though, so he had dug himself into that hole.

"If you would just listen to me once and a while-" He started to defend himself, but his girlfriend cut him off, and he was not in the least bit surprised when she said:

"Listen to you? I've been listening to you for the past _five _years! 'Mel this isn't good enough,' or 'Mel, don't tell Lennox that'." She mimicked Joe in a deep, fake manly voice. "I mean, I love you, but come on!"

"And I love you too!" He hollered back.

"Then why are we always arguing?" She shouted at him exasperatedly.

"Because this is Italian for love, I told you this a million times!" He exclaimed, wondering how she hadn't gotten that yet.

"I'm. Not. Italian!" She shouted at him for the million and first time.

"Well, you sure as hell act like it!"

"God, Longo!" Mel threw her hands up in the air in frustration, about to walk away.

"Wait, Burke!" He shouted, suddenly remembering why he wanted to go out in the first place. Why they got all dressed up, and why his palms were so sweaty. Why did Mel have to be this irritable today?

"What, Joe?" She turned back around to face him, crossing her arms.

_Now or never. _"Will you marry me?!" He yelled, dropping down on one knee, holding out the ring box that had been giving his right thigh a bruise all morning. His heart was pounding, and he focused on her face, not entirely sure what to hope for. One one hand, he was completely in love with Mel. He'd know that for five years. But could he spend the rest of his life married to a woman that he argued with this much?

"Of course, you idiot!" She cried without hesitation, answering both of the questions he'd asked, the one in his head, and the one in his hand. Her voice a was a mix of happiness and frustration, if that was even possible. She knelt down next to Joe and kissed him fiercely, holding him close. Startled by this sudden change in mood, Joe adjusted his position quickly, one hand wrapping around her wait while his other one found Mel's left hand. He pulled away briefly to gently push the ring onto her finger - a perfect fit - before kissing her again, his relief obviously radiating off of him in waves, as Mel smiled into their kiss. She pulled away again to admire the diamond on her finger, sparkling in the late morning light gently drifting in through the windows. Mel rested her head on Joe's shoulder. "Well done, Longo. So very well done."

He chuckled and kissed the top of his now-fiancé's head. "You know, you never actually said the word _'yes_'. You called me an idiot." His amused tone made Mel lightly punch him in the chest.

"Maybe I never will." She smiled mischievously, and he feigned injury, dramatically pressing a hand to his heart and staggering back.

"You're killin' me, Burke." He shook his head at her, and she giggled like a young girl. "Hey, do you want some celebratory waffles?" He offered, knowing the answer.

"Yes!" She cried, and then realized what she'd said. "Dammit, Joe!"

He grinned, his smugness so obvious, Mel wondered how he managed to live like he did. "So, I take it that you really will marry me, then?"

Mel rolled her eyes, though she was still smiling. "_Yes_, you fool. I'll marry you."

Joe punched the air, but before she could insult him even further, Lennox walked in, which caused one second of silence, before she shrieked so loudly, Mel had a feeling that all of the good wineglasses shattered, and that the police would be on them in two seconds.

"FinallyFinallyFinally!" She crowed, doing a little dance in the doorway.

"How did you..." Mel shook her head in confusion, a dozen questions swimming in her head, like: How did Lennox always choose the wrong intimate moment to interrupt? Did she regularly look at Mel's left hand when she saw her aunt? And why the hell was she home? "Len, shouldn't you be at school? You know, the college that's two hours away?"

"Long weekend. Not important. Wanted to see you. YOU'RE ENGAGED!" She cried, running over and hugging them both, jumping up and down in ecstasy. "WHY AREN'T YOU JUMPING?" She yelled at them when she pulled away.

"I'm in stilettos..."

"I'm not a girl..." Were their mumbled replies.

"Oh, did he _just_ propose? Dammit, Joe!" Joe opened his mouth to reprimand his almost-daughter for swearing, and to ask why both of the blondes in the room were swearing at him, but she cut him off before he could even begin. "You bought the ring, like, two months ago, you chicken! You've known Aunt Mel for five years, we've all waited long enough!"

Mel shook her head, trying to process all of this. "You've... what?"

Lennox shrugged. "Everyone knows that you guys are gonna get married except for you two. Well, until now, that is. Seriously, Aunt Mel, how did you NOT know?" Lennox sighed at her aunt's obliviousness, and breezed into the kitchen without another word.

"Uhm... okay..." Joe blinked, trying to catch up with what was happening.

"And I was really looking forward to engagement sex." Mel murmured to him, which made Joe laugh.

"Yeah, me too. I guess we'll have to wait though." The longing for her in his voice led Mel to make a snap decision.

"Maybe..." Mel started slowly. Joe looked at her, confusion in his eyes. "LEN! Joe and I are going to the store! Don't burn down the house!"

"Riiiight." Was the reply from the kitchen.

"She knows you're lying." He whispered to her as she led him up the stairs.

"I don't care." She told him matter-of-factly in her low, husky voice.

And it soon became apparent that he didn't either.

* * *

**So, yeah... Hope you liked it!**

**Question: What... is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow? (Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975)**

**Please review, and remember: ONE MORE CHAPTER!**


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